1. Three years remained without war between Aram and Israel.
2. Then it came about in the third year that King Jehoshaphat of Judah came down to the king of Israel.
3. The king of Israel said to his courtiers, “Do you know that Ramoth-gilead is ours, yet we are still doing nothing to recover it from the hand of the king of Aram?”
4. Then he said to Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to battle at Ramot-gilead?” Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.”
5. Jehoshaphat said further to the king of Israel, “Please inquire of Adonai for a word first,”
6. So the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about 400 men, and asked them: “Should I march against Ramot-gilead to battle or should I refrain?” They responded, “Go up, for my Lord will deliver it into the hand of the king.”
7. But Jehoshaphat said: “Is there no longer a prophet of Adonai here that we may inquire of Him?”
8. The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Yes, there is still one by whom we may inquire of Adonai—Micaiah son of Imlah—but I hate him, because he never prophesies good concerning me, only evil.” But Jehoshaphat said, “May the king not say so!”
9. So the king of Israel summoned one of his eunuchs and said, “Bring Micaiah son of Imlah quickly.”
10. Now the king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah were sitting each on his throne, arrayed in their robes, at a threshing-floor at the entrance of Samaria’s gate. All the prophets were prophesying before them.
11. Now Zedekiah son of Chenaanah made himself horns of iron and said, “Thus says Adonai: ‘With these you will gore the Arameans until they are consumed!”
12. Then all the prophets were prophesying so, saying, “Go up to Ramot-gilead and triumph! For Adonai will deliver it into the hand of the king!”
13. Meanwhile the messenger that went to summon Micaiah spoke to him saying, “Behold now, the words of the prophets are uniformly declaring favor to the king. So please let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak favorably.”
14. But Micaiah said, “As Adonai lives, what Adonai says to me, that will I speak.”
15. Now when he came to the king, the king asked him, “Micaiah, should we march to Ramot-gilead in battle or should we refrain?” “March and triumph!” he answered, “and Adonai will give it into the hand of the king.”